TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp admits he failed in non-league football with one of the all-time legends of the game, but has backed Anthony Hudson to succeed with a little help from his friend.

Redknapp, who guided Spurs to fifth in the Premier League last term and the quarter-finals of the Champions League, told the Argus he struggled in a spell at non-league Oxford City with England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore.

The pair couldn’t get to grips with life in football’s lower tiers but former Portsmouth and Southampton boss Redknapp feels Hudson will avoid such problems thanks to the presence of director of football Tim Harris.

Harris, a former player, coach and manager at County, took charge last term when Dean Holdsworth left and now works in tandem with Hudson.

Redknapp was in contact with Harris as the Exiles made their move for then Tottenham coach Hudson and he believes the pair can be the Exiles’ dream ticket.

“Anthony and Tim, they both know it’s a full-on job, you’ve got to work so hard, learning about things, different players... watching games, it’s incredibly tough at this level,” he said.

“You’ve got to build up a big knowledge of the league you are in. After leaving America as a coach (in 1979) I went to Oxford City with Bobby Moore for a year.

“He got offered the job as manager and I went as his assistant, he said to me, “go on Harry, we’ll take it and then we can push on somewhere higher up,” and I went with him because I loved being with him and respected him and liked him more than anyone I’d ever met outside my family.

“So we went there and it was so tough for us.

“We’ve gone into Oxford and we’re playing the likes of Farnborough and Aveley, who had a manager called Billy Smith who’d been there for 12 years and knew everyone and we didn’t have a clue really.

“It was tough, we really struggled, it was so hard, a really tough year, you need help.

“Where Anthony is lucky, to be fair, is having Tim here with him.

“He knows the players, he knows this level, he’s managed there, he has that knowledge and when you’re younger, like Anthony is, that is exactly what you need.

“I think Anthony can go to the very top and so it’s a great combination.”

Redknapp has promised to help Hudson with loan signings if at all possible and has advised his protégé on the need for experienced campaigners as well.

“At this level and to be honest, at any level, you need some players who have a bit of experience, when you’re going to go away from home you need men rather than boys, I’ve said that to Anthony, it’ll be important for Newport to do that.

“At Chelsea they have John Terry and Frank Lampard, Man United are always better with Rio Ferdinand and Vidic, you need that in your team.”